


Tumblr Requests

by starryeyedboxes



Category: Septiplier - Fandom
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-13
Updated: 2016-05-05
Packaged: 2018-04-26 03:39:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 16,959
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4988824
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starryeyedboxes/pseuds/starryeyedboxes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Anonymous said: Uh.. Are you still doing the lyrics request things? Because the whole song "I Will Follow You Into The Dark" in general is my request. It's just so sweet and elegant. P.S. You're one of my favorite blogs and you're awesome!!! :3</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Drowning

**Author's Note:**

> Angst.

Jack faded into consciousness, his body immediately awakening with strong pain. It hit him like a tidal wave and it took every ounce of his power not to scream out like a madman. When his mind finally tried to focus around him, he sunk into his surroundings, devouring the scene in front of him like it wasn’t real. 

His half-lidded blue eyes saw an abyss of a dark blue that seemed to be getting darker and darker. The windshield had a large crack running across it as water dripped through, the dashboard getting wetter. Things were strewn about the car haphazardly but Jack couldn’t make out anything else. He just knew that he was in a car that seemed to be slowly sinking.

Moving his neck, while thoroughly painful, he glanced at the driver when he realized who was controlling the car. A badly battered Mark sat in the driver’s seat, his body slumped over the leather steering wheel. Jack’s throat tightened when he realized that he wasn’t moving

He tried stretching out his arm but it was immensely stiff and sore. Looking down to see what was wrong, a muscle in his shoulder immediately shocked him with a wave of pain. He must have dislocated his shoulder in the crash.

“Mark,” Jack called, but his voice was barely above a whisper. He called out a few more times before he tried to wiggle through the pain. 

 

The Irishman used his other arm to free himself from the seatbelt and began to shake Mark violently. In a daze, the brown-eyed YouTuber grumbled and groaned as he was pulled out from the darkness. His eyes flew open behind his cracked glasses as he quickly looked at Jack.

 

“Sean,” he quickly responded. Mark began struggling as he tried to undo his seatbelt as well but ultimately was in too much pain to really get much done. Jack had to hold back the deployed airbag while the American attempted again. He freed himself eventually but panicked when he saw everything around them. “A-are we underwater..?”

The duo looked around at all the windows and saw that the windshield was the only thing that had any damage. The hood of the car was completely torn off and the engine looked utterly destroyed, but the water seeping in was not dangerous whatsoever. Yet.

“Yeah,“ the younger of the two sighed. His body ached and he was sure that he had broken his left leg. “What’s your damage? Are you alright?”

Completely paled, Mark assessed his body. “I’m really sore.” He touched his fingers towards the side of his head and he pulled it away when it burned at his touch. Red blood trickled down his hand. “I guess I hit my head pretty hard. I can’t feel it yet.”

“It looks pretty gnarly,” the Irishman noted before he extended his jacket sleeve to help wipe off the blood. The dark-haired man swatted him away as he left the wound alone.

He reached up with his hand and turned on the car light inside as it began getting too dark to see much.

“What about you?”

“I definitely need to go to the hospital,” Jack groaned. “Shouldn’t we be trying to get out, not chitchatting?”

Nodding slowly, Mark looked around them. “What are we supposed to do in this situation? The window is going to break the lower we get. The pressure is going to be too much.”

Jack expected a rush of anxiety or manic to cross over him but all that overcame him was a calm state. Maybe it was the shock from what happened or maybe it hadn’t hit him yet, but he just knew that he wasn’t reacting the way he should have.

When he glanced over at his boyfriend, he realized that he was slightly panicking but also not as much as one might have guessed.

“I’m not sure what to do…” The Irishman muttered, his accent thick for whatever reason. “They say you’re supposed to break the window and you just start kicking up.”

The older of the two craned his neck slowly and peered above while he tried to gage how deep they had made it in the lake. However, the crack in their windshield immediately let out a sharp sound and they watched as it spread across the entire pane.

Jack heard a loud curse from his lover and he gave him a disturbed look. “My leg and shoulder are both broken. I can’t swim.”

 

“When the car hits the bottom, I think that the windshield is going to shatter,“ Mark mumbled as he ran his hand through his hair. "We’re close to the bottom. The lake really isn’t that deep.”

"Well when it does crack, you need to start kicking, alright?” Jack’s voice was determined. 

His boyfriend had to make it out alive. There was no doubt in his mind that Mark could make it to the top of the lake. He was physically capable and had the muscle to easily do it. Expecting a strong debate, the Irishman was thoroughly surprised when he was returned with a sad smile.

“I can’t move anything below my waist,” Mark said hazily. He took off his broken glasses and tossed them behind him. It’s not like they were needed anymore. “We’re both trapped.”

Jack peered through his window and saw the ground was only a few feet away. “There’s the ground.”

He felt a strong hand grasp his functioning one and he looked over. Looking into beautiful brown eyes, he let out a small whimper. The fear immediately crawled at him when he realized this was probably the last time he would get to look into them. Shaking slightly, he felt his boyfriend wipe away warm tears that he didn’t realize were there at all.

“Sh, baby, it’ll be okay,” Mark whispered tenderly. But Jack could see through the facade. He was just as scared. “I’m right here.”

Jack squeezed back, not taking his eyes off of the American. “I don’t want this to be where it ends.”

“It won’t.”

The car hit the ground and the car let out a low groan. It was almost time.

“How can you say that?” Jack questioned, panic finally reaching his voice. He was almost in a frenzy as the tears flowed harder than before. Mark had to fight back his own.

“Because wherever you go, I’ll go. I don’t know what there is after death, but wherever it is, I’ll follow you.”

“What if it’s just pure darkness?!" 

A final crack echoed in the couple’s ears, sealing their fate immediately. Jack’s grip on his lover’s hand was so strong that Mark felt pure pain, but of course, he never let go.

"Then I’ll follow you into the dark.”

And like Mark predicted, the windshield finally shattered completely, allowing the dark lake water to swallow them entirely.


	2. Small

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> starrbandit said: "And do you look into the mirror to remind yourself you're there/ Or have somebody's good-night kisses got that covered/ When I'm not being honest, I pretend that you were just some lover"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Angst.

Mark pressed his forehead against the bathroom mirror, his eyes closing in a feeble attempt to stop the burning. It had been so long since he had gotten ample sleep. He needed it so badly, but here he was at half past two in the morning, his body aching and his throat dry. He was so excruciatingly tired.

Exhaustion was the better term. Pure and utter exhaustion.

As he opened his eyes again, he stared at himself in the mirror, his vision slightly blurred since his glasses were discarded on the nightstand in his room as well as the disorientation from the alcohol he had drunk all night. The brown in his eyes looked dulled, almost as if any light had been taken from them. He looked like an empty shell.

Suddenly, he sighed, watching his chest expand and contract with the breath. 

As he pulled his shirt over his head, Mark immediately smelled the alcohol that laced his clothing, the scent of famous cinnamon whiskey filling his lungs. It was something he had grown accustomed to lately. If he were to be honest with himself, it was something that he was growing more familiar with as each week passed. 

When Mark pulled out what he came in to retrieve from the bathroom drawer, he took one last look in the mirror, frowned at how disastrous he looked, and stepped back out into his bedroom.

“What took you so long?” Jack mused, resting on Mark’s large bed. He almost looked dwarfed in comparison. “Keepin’ a guy waiting I see.”

With a newly changed expression, Mark smirked, his two fingers holding up the foil between them. As his guest saw what was being waved in front of him, a wide grin spread across that delicate face. 

“Ah, I see you’re prepared.” 

“Always for you Jackaboy,” Mark responded quickly. He immediately jumped on the bed as well, his half-dressed body hovering over Jack’s. “Always for you.”

Jack’s slight snoring was heard throughout the bedroom. The slightly drunken man lay awake, his back pressed against his companion’s with jaded brown eyes staring out into the darkened abyss once again. It was likely a quarter past four in the morning by now, but Mark was still painstakingly restless. His naked body was terribly drained but his mind was practically running circles. 

It was an odd cycle. Every night became like this. No energy but no sleep. Even in his buzzed haze, he was still focusing on the pitch black ahead of him.

Mark ran a hand through his already messy hair, and sighed into the large room. He felt so alone. 

Silently slipping out of bed and retreating to the bathroom once again, he flipped the lights on as he entered. He scanned his skin in the same mirror, taking note of the various new marks on his neck and shoulders, sighing as he ran his fingers over them. Jack always loved leaving those bruises in his aftermath.

Mark turned on the shower and let the steam fill the tiled room, the warmth enveloping him. It was like it was welcoming his tired body.

A few minutes passed and he heard the door open, his throat releasing a slight gasp. To his dismay, the shower door slid open, and a sleepy Jack stood in front of him, his left hand on the glass, his right rubbing one of his eyes diligently. 

“What’re you doing?” The sleepy man questioned, his voice husky from the slumber.

“Showering.”

“It’s almost five in the morning.”

“I needed a shower.”

Jack, also undressed from their earlier antics, stepped into the shower as well, his body instantly drenched from the hot water. 

Mark kept a watchful eye on him, but for the most part they just minded their own business in peace. In fact, Jack was the first to step out, grabbing one of the towels as he did so.

“I’m going to go back to sleep, actually,” he mumbled, running the towel through his hair. “Wanna join me?”

“I’ll be there in a second, Jack.”

And soon enough, he heard the door quietly shut, his presence being the only one in the room once again. 

When Mark returned to the bedroom, an also-fully-clothed Jack was already in a deep sleep. The sun was pulled out over the horizon and when he looked at the clock, he realized it was already half past seven. His shower was much longer than he anticipated.

No wonder why Jack was already asleep.

Exhaustion still clinging at his bones, Mark slipped into bed and glanced at Jack’s sleeping face. His heart felt like it had skipped a beat. The Irishman’s features looked so delicate and soft, and the older of the two had to fight back the urge to brush his knuckles across that beautiful skin. He successfully resisted. 

It’s not like they were dating anyway. Mark couldn’t do these romantic gestures like he constantly wanted to; Fuck buddies weren’t allowed to from what it seemed.

No matter how badly he wanted to hold Jack or spoil the man rotten, he simply couldn’t. It wasn’t his place at all. No one said unrequited love was a joyful ride.

As the sun seeped in through the bedroom, Mark’s hands clenched slightly, his mind angry at how tired he was. It was immensely frustrating that his body could feel so heavy but his mind refused to let sleep grab hold of him. Much to the man’s displeasure, a slight headache was even breaking through due to the few drinks last night. Alcohol was the magic elixir that made everything from last night somewhat bearable.

Mark never got used to sleeping with Jack for pure pleasure. When they first started, it was so much more to him (he soon figured out that it wasn’t reciprocated), but he never left. Eventually, he learned that the only way to make it easier on himself was to drown it out with some booze.

Which, like most nights he knew he’d be seeing Jack, he did. 

Closing his eyes, he rolled over so their backs touched once more. Mark needed sleep, and he needed it badly. While he couldn’t hold Jack and fall asleep intertwined with him, he could at least enjoy this slight form of intimacy. 

No matter how small it was.


	3. The Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> spookbang said: "Ever wonder if the world would be better off without you?" ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Angst.

Jack sat on top of the bridge, his feet dangling, slightly swaying. As he stared down into the water below, he held his breath, his lungs beginning to burn from the lack of fresh oxygen. It was late at night, but he was thankful for the silence. It allowed his thoughts to run rampant without interruption.

Throwing his head back, he gazed up at the night sky, his tired eyes scanning each speck on the black canvas. How beautiful, he marveled. There are a lot of them tonight. Must be really clear out.

His palms that were pressed on the ledge pushed harder into the concrete, the frosty temperature running up his arms, his spine, his legs. It was terribly chilly outside today, but it was even worse that he lacked a sweater. The water below looked even colder.

“Hey, buddy.” 

Jack knew who it was without even turning around. Sighing once more, the crisp air refilling his lungs, the young man turned his head to meet the voice that echoed from behind. Another man with midnight hair and chocolate eyes stared back, a small smile on his face. 

“Mark, what are you doing here?”

“I had a feeling. You were acting strange over the phone last night.”

Not returning an answer, Jack looked back down at the murky water. For a moment, he watched his reflection stare back at him, his image slightly moving due to a few small ripples that broke the surface. Soon enough, Mark’s image appeared beside him, the pair now mirrored in the pond’s water. 

“Ever wonder if the world would be better off without you?”

A moment of silence passed. Jack’s gaze never left the water, his eyes watching Mark’s face. His companion looked solemn.

“Doesn’t everyone at one point or another?” 

“But do you wonder that often?”

“No, not a lot.”

“I do.”

“I know.”

The two still stood at the bridge, Jack’s heart racing at the topic’s discussion. The more he looked at the water, the more he so desperately wanted it to envelop him. He wanted the darkness to pull him down, fill his lungs, and welcome him into the abyss, his body succumbing to complete slumber. 

He wanted it really badly right now. 

Jack pressed the back of his shoes onto the ledge that rested beneath the one he sat on, his body moving towards the edge. 

“What are you-?!”

And soon, Jack was flying. His body was momentarily free, the sensation of falling taking over his soul. It was absolutely liberating. The night air brushed across his face, and soon enough, he hit the water, the cold caressing his tired skin. 

He heard Mark call his name and some splashing soon after, but as he hit the bottom of the pond, he opened his eyes, his vision focusing on the figure swimming towards him.

What a doof. This pond isn’t deep enough to kill me. 

Jack’s body soon began floating back up to the surface. Regardless, he felt a strong grasp on his shirt and instantly, he was being pulled upward. When the two broke the surface, Mark wasted no time pulling him towards the shore, heaving him up on the banks. 

When a loud cry filled the air, Jack froze, absolutely started. His companion’s arms wrapped around him and while they were both drenched, the Irishman felt warmth on his cheek. Warmth? 

He realized it was from Mark’s tears that were touching his cold skin. He listened silently, engrossed by the massive sobs that cut through the air and eventually felt the man quiver against his aching body. 

Jack didn’t say anything. 

He just sat still, Mark holding him, crying and shaking underneath the night sky.


	4. Reliving

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> love-care-and-respect said: “Oh fuck, oh FUCK.” with Mark and Jack :)   
> (Angst Prompt Meme)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Angst.

As Jack reclined in the bathtub, he stared at the tiled wall behind him, silently counting the small squares. He was slightly disoriented from focusing too hard on calculating how many were in the bathroom, but with half-lidded eyes, he continued regardless. Even as his head swirled, he still stared. 

He was exhausted. So terribly exhausted. 

Jack never got used to it. Night after night he sat in this bathtub and counted. He already knew the answer: there were 200 small tiles on this wall, 100 on the wall his head was resting on, and 80 on the wall with the shower head. But he refused to stop numbering each one. 

After a few minutes, the lack of sleep really began to pull at his body. Jack had hoped that the warm bath would help soothe all of the pains and aches, but as he partially predicted, it didn’t. He was still uncomfortable and tender.

His eyes closed, the steam from the water still spreading throughout the empty bathroom.

_“Mark?” Jack called, his voice hoarse. His gaze was heavy as he stared at his boyfriend crumpled on the bed, his body curled in on itself. “Mark, we need to go to the hospital.”_

_“No,” he blew through clenched teeth, his nails digging into his own paled skin. “It’ll pass.”_

_However, the younger of the two wasn’t having it anymore. He slid an arm around Mark, and lifted. But as he began to carefully but firmly pull him up, a bright color caught his attention, locking his body into place momentarily._

_Crimson. Crimson red. It was everywhere. Jack’s eyes quickly darted to his boyfriend’s body and he felt the blood drain from his face, his lungs losing all its air. Mark’s entire side was covered in it, his clothes drenched in the warm liquid._

_“Oh, fuck. Oh, fuck, fuck, fuck.”_

_With a gasp, Jack gently placed his boyfriend, who had now started crying, back onto the bed and fled to the kitchen to grab the landline. Immediately, with shaking fingers, he pressed in 911._

His eyes flew open, the bathroom coming into view once more. With even more exhaustion than before, Jack rolled over, the hot water now lukewarm against his skin. 

This is why he never liked to sleep.

Jack hated reliving one of the very last times he ever saw his boyfriend.


	5. Explain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ducking-g--hallatious said: "Please listen to me-"  
> (Angst Prompt Meme)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Angst.

Mark’s fingers laced through Jack’s in a desperate attempt to ground his fleeing boyfriend. But as the Irishman began pulling, Mark felt his heart drop. He unwound their hands and watched as his lover stared at him with a heavy look, an almost unreadable expression etched onto his soft face. 

“Please listen to me-”

“I’m done listening, Fischbach. You’ve been so secretive lately. I’m tired of dealing with it. There should be no reason that you’ve been so disconnected and caged up.”

The last name thrown at him stung, his eyes burning at the word. Jack never called him by his last name. It was even easy to hear just how tired it sounded. 

“But, please-”

“Knock it off. I’m done.” 

The younger of the two began his walk to the door again, his hair disheveled, the clothes he wore wrinkled and slept in. It was barely midnight, but Mark could do nothing but watch as Jack continued out the front door, suitcase in one hand while the other was desperately clenched. The man with strong black hair approached the door as well, but it was instantly slammed in front of him, the wind from the movement wiping across his face.

When the final sound of it slamming shut echoed throughout the apartment, Mark sank to the ground, his back sliding down the door. 

He slid out the velvet box, the fabric now foreign in his palm. Flipping the lid open, the silver band stared back at him, his reflection mirrored in all its shiny glory. 

“You didn’t let me explain…”


	6. Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> bisexualjse said: dialogue prompt for ur stream tonight: "I was wrong. It was never going to work."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Angst.

Jack ran his hands over his face, a loud sigh escaping his lips before he looked back up with tired eyes. His body ached, and his hair was an awful mess, but Jack still forced a smile when his boyfriend walked through the front door. As Mark stepped into the living room and kicked off his shoes with the rest, he made eye contact with Jack, a small smile appearing on his face as well. He looked as equally exhausted. 

“Hey,” Jack greeted from the couch. “How’d it go?”

“Alright,” Mark muttered before treading off into the kitchen. “It went well. They told me I did a good job on the presentation.”

Jack managed to pull himself up off the couch and follow Mark, his eyes expectant for more information. 

“Presentation?”

He saw his boyfriend visibly tense at the word. He stopped pouring the recently brewed coffee into his cup, muttered a thank you to Jack for warming it up for him prior to him coming home, and walked around him to enter their bedroom. 

Jack followed.

“Yeah,” Mark mumbled yet again. “What?”

With an awkward gaze, Jack watched as his boyfriend sat down on their bed with a firm hand around his half-filled mug so the black liquid wouldn’t spill. It was obvious that he was avoiding any eye contact, but Jack pursed his lips and stood at the end of the bed instead. 

“You told me that it was a meeting, not a presentation.”

Mark’s gaze shifted. “Well, I gave a presentation in the meeting.”

“On what?”

“Oh. Some engineering stuff, I don’t know if you’d understand what I’m talking about. I worked on it all last week, remember?" 

Jack recalled the last few weeks. Various nights he had spent alone in their bed while Mark had been locked away in his office at other meetings or business duties. It wasn’t uncommon that he ended up eating dinners alone or only brewed enough coffee in the morning for himself. It was getting harder recently, and when Jack received the phone bill, there was a strong worry in the back of his mind about Mark’s constant absence. 

"I guess.”

“What’s with the questions?" 

Jack watched him pull his mug to his lips, but cringed as he took in the black coffee. Mark had been too nervous in the kitchen to remember to put sugar and milk in it. 

"You’re acting really suspicious. I don’t like it.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Jack soon noticed his mouth had actually gone dry. He was nervous, but he wasn’t entirely sure why. 

The bed shifted as he sat next to Mark. He wiped his palms on his pants out of habit and looked at his boyfriend beside him with his bottom lip pulled in between his teeth. Mark was still refusing to look at him. The air felt heavy between them as Mark stalled time by drinking his coffee. He was pretty sure there wasn’t actually any left in the mug, but Mark was trying to get more time. 

“I got the phone bill, Mark." 

"And?”

“Who’s number have you been calling when you’ve been at work?”

Almost a beat later, Mark’s eyes widened and he coughed before his hand shakily set down the empty mug on their nightstand. It was clear that he had been completely caught off guard because his cheeks were beginning to flush at the question.

“Mark.”

“What number are you talking about?” His voice cracked halfway through.   
“I told you, I got the phone bill. It’s not like I was going through each one listed, but I didn’t recognize one of them.”

“Probably someone from work.”

Jack immediately reached out and pulled Mark’s face towards him. But he was still avoiding looking him in the eye. 

“Mark, look at me.” His eyes shifted slightly, but not once did they meet his. “I’m being serious.”

Immediately, Mark broke free of Jack’s grasp and pulled himself up off of the bed. Soon enough, he began pacing around the room, his hands tangled in his own hair. He began to mumble to himself slightly, but when Jack called out his name again, he froze for the second time. Jack stood up and faced him, a serious expression on his face.

“Don’t you think it’s time that you finally told me the truth? I know that this has been going on for a while. You haven’t been home for longer than three days in a few months.”

“It’s really nothing.”

“Then why aren’t you meeting my gaze, Mark?”

As Jack finished his question, he expected his boyfriend to finally look him in the eye, but he was disappointed as Mark continued to stare down at the floor between them. Another few moments passed and Jack finally pulled Mark’s face back up to him, to which they finally locked eyes. 

“Are you cheating on me?" 

Silence followed. The older of the two swallowed hard, his eyes fixated on everything but Jack. 

"I’m not-”

“Mark.”

“If I said no, then why can’t you take that?”

“Because I know you’re lying. Let me see your phone, then." 

"I don’t think that’s such a good idea.”

Jack’s hands fell from his face and Mark quickly headed towards their closet, his hands flinging towards the suitcase that was resting on the top shelf. When he pulled it down, the luggage hit the ground with a loud thud, the crash the only sound that hung between them. Using the zipper, the suitcase opened in a flash, and before Jack knew it, things were being thrown into the empty space. 

But it took him a moment to realize that the clothes being placed in weren’t Mark’s. 

They were his own. 

“Mark-”

“I need you to get out,” he noted almost nonchalantly. There was an eerie tone to his anger, and it was surprising that he was so stoic about the situation at hand. “I was wrong. It was never going to work." 

Jack’s eyes began to gloss over, the warm tears piling up very quickly. His feet felt like stone, his body not moving towards Mark as he angrily pulled shirts off hangers and into the suitcase.

"But, I’m not the one who’s been gone!” His voice was rising. “You’re the one who’s been practically missing for months! I don’t understand why you’re kicking me out-”

The suitcase was stuffed to the brim and no matter how much Mark tried putting more in it, it wouldn’t fit. He ended up zipping it shut and when it wouldn’t go all the way, he let out a loud scream before kicking the entire thing a good couple feet. The luggage slammed against some furniture with a loud noise, but he pointed at it anyway and with one loud breath, finally looked at Jack right in the eye.

“Out.”

“But-”

Mark didn’t let him finish. He simply walked past Jack and back out down the hallway. Jack stood in their bedroom looking at the disaster that was left behind. He picked up some of the clothes that had spilled onto the carpet, stuffed them back into the case, and managed to close it the rest of the way. 

Tears had begun falling even harder by now, but he pushed through the burning in his chest and the blurry vision as he began the walk out as well. His hand was tightly gripping the handle as he wheeled it out. As he made it to the living room, he saw Mark sitting on the couch where he had originally been when Mark came home. 

He noticed Mark had a phone pressed up to his ear.

“No, he’s leaving now. I need you to come over. I’m really pissed off right now.” Jack paused his presence still unknown. Mark picked up the conversation when the person on the other end finished talking. “He’s still in the room getting his stuff. Please. I can’t do this right now. Just-”

“Well,” Jack hummed, causing Mark’s head to quickly turn around. “I see, then.”  
He immediately threw the phone to the other side of the couch, his eyes wide behind thick glasses. But he took a shaky breath regardless and pointed towards the door.

“Out.”

“Gladly." 

And with that, Jack heaved his luggage into both of his arms instead of wheeling it behind him, allowing him to make a faster exit. When he pulled the door open, he looked back at Mark, his eyes still slightly blurred from the tears.   
They looked at each other silently for a moment, and Jack was surprised to see Mark actually walk towards him. 

They stood a few feet away from each other, Mark’s hand on the door frame, Jack half-turned as he looked at Mark through the corner of his eye.

Mark looked like he wanted to say something, but instead, he shut the door.


	7. Silence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> left-4-doughnuts said: *kicks down your newly fixed door* "I'm sick of being USELESS!" with Septiplier?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comfort.

Mark heard loud noises as he approached his best friend’s front door. As he tilted his head slightly out of confusion, he heard a few more shouts echo inside and throughout the house. 

Quickly using his copy of Jack’s key, he slammed the door open and ran inside, tossing his messenger bag on the couch and his keys on the coffee table in the middle of the room. He followed the screaming and as his mind thoroughly questioned what it was, he pressed the bedroom door open.

Mark was met with his friend throwing his bookshelf down the ground, the contents flying across the carpet. Jack’s face was ultimately red and it was obvious he had been crying, but it almost froze Mark in his tracks. Jack’s bedroom was a disaster. 

Posters and pictures were stripped to the floor, clothes haphazardly strewn across the area, and all the furniture tossed in odd positions. Even the bed had seen better days as the comforters and sheets were thrown aside, creating an even bigger mess. 

Mark wasn’t sure what happened, but for a few moments, his companion hadn’t even noticed he entered. Jack quickly pulled one of the curtains off their rings, the metal bar ripped directly from the wall. In that instant, Mark stepped in and tackled Jack, his arms wrapping around him.

“What are you doing?!”

“Let me go!” He wailed, desperately struggling as his fingers tightly clasped the torn fabric. “Fucking get off of me!”

Mark ignored his words and pulled him to the ground where he tightened his grasp while Jack did nothing but thrash about. In the next several minutes, like he had predicted, the thoroughly angry man began to tire himself out, his hyperventilation overcoming his desire to wreak havoc. Soon enough, Jack was sobbing hysterically, his body shaking, Mark’s hands rubbing his back soothingly.

“What’s wrong, Jackaboy?”

“I’m sick of being useless,” he managed to wail, his voice awfully raspy, likely from the previous screaming. “So fucking sick of it.”

“Why do you feel that way?” Mark questioned, his voice barely above a whisper. He rested his chin on top of Jack’s head, letting his exhausted friend curl up into his body. “What could possibly make you feel this way?”

“I can’t do shit, Mark. I’m stuck in my fucking apartment all day making YouTube videos, and I love doing it, but I feel like I’m not doing shit for myself anymore. I love doing this more than anything, but I miss drums. I miss fucking seeing people.”

“You see me.”

“Besides you.”

A few moments of silence passed between them, and Mark was almost at a loss of words. He didn’t know what to say in this situation. What could he possibly say to make it all better?

He offered numerous times to help Jack out if he wanted to do any of the things he just mentioned, but he was often met with strong refusal out of his companion’s guilt. Mark of course never minded, but he honestly hoped that one day Jack would actually take him up on his offer.

He would pick his best friend up off of the floor later and make sure he got something to eat. He’d probably take him out to look at drumsets at the local music store after. He already decided. He needed to help. He just had to.

For a moment he pressed his lips against Jack’s grey-streaked hair, and paused, waiting for the confused backlash. But it never came. In fact, Jack nuzzled up closer, his own soft lips pressing a kiss back on Mark’s collarbones. A deep pink rose to his face. 

He let Jack cry for a few more moments, desperately clinging onto his flannel while they sat on the floor surrounded by utter chaos. It felt like they were the calm of the storm, and Mark sighed happily, feeling the body pressed against him, the two in lovely silence.


	8. Fields

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ducking-g--hallatious said: so as we walked through fields of green, it was the fairest sun i'd ever seen. and i was broke, i was on my knees, and you said "yes" as i said "please." this ain't no sham. i am what i am. i'll leave no time for a cynic's mind

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> College AU. Fluff.

Looking around him, the young Irishman known as Jack gave a slight smile beneath his drawn hood. He looked down at the ground and kicked a pebble to the side, his thoughts running around mindlessly. His earbuds were in which ended up blocking out all other sound as the metal music ran through his body. 

The air was crisp out today on his walk through the greenery near his house. Every time Jack looked up, he could feel the warm sunshine on his face, the heat making him feel as calm as ever. It was a perfect day for the outdoors since the sun was finally revealing itself after a week’s worth of rain. Everything seemed so serene. The calm after the storm.

Soon enough however, he heard loud barking over the heavy double bass and looked back up.

“Gizmo!” Jack called as he watched his dog run furiously through the grassy field that they were walking through. “What are you doing, girl?” He pulled out his buds and watched the small dog dart behind some bushes. “Christ.”

The Irishman quickly veered of the path he was on and chased his dog. Cursing himself for letting the dog walk with him without a leash, he internally groaned. He just wanted to let her out without him constantly having to feel her tug.

“Fuckin’ crazy dog,” the Irishman growled as he emerged from the shrubbery and came into another open field. His blue eyes fell upon Gizmo who was chasing what looked like a large squirrel. Finally snapping her jaws around the small animal, Jack screamed. “Gizmo! Drop it!”

The dog obediently did as told and the mammal scurried off, leaving the Irishman to run towards his dog. Grabbing her by the collar, he immediately snapped the leash on the hook and wrapped the black strap twice around his own wrist. He wanted to scold her for running off like that but he opted for collapsing to the ground instead, his heart erratically beating in his rib cage. Not only was he frightened for almost losing his dog, but he was pretty tired from running frantically after her.

Jack leaned back on the grass and fell backwards so he could rest. He pulled his hood back down and felt Gizmo crawl up next to him and plop down as well. Turning off his music and placing his hands behind his head, he closed his eyes, basking in the warm sun once more. The only sound audible was his own breathing and the rustling leaves from the slight breeze. There really was no better feeling. The white clouds floated overhead but never did they block the brilliant sun.

It wasn’t long until Jack woke up, not knowing that he even fell asleep. He glanced at his dog who was happily barking once more. Looking up at the sky, he noticed the sun had actually moved across the sky slightly. He must have fallen asleep for an hour or two. The Irishman’s arm was tugged forward as Gizmo pulled on the leash that was still wrapped around his wrist.

“What now?” Jack asked rhetorically before following her gaze towards a man who was sitting on a tree stump up ahead.

The young man rolled over to access a better angle and saw a man around his age sitting by himself. He had lovely black hair from what Jack could see and a very beautiful physique. The stranger seemed completely oblivious to Gizmo’s wild barking.

“Hush!” Jack hissed towards his dog, scared the man would notice them. “Girl, be quiet!”

His small dog ceased barking when Jack had to stretch out his arm and grab her muzzle. The Irishman heaved himself up and walked over to the individual sitting at the stump, a stern look on the man’s face. When the young man and his dog reached the stranger, the man with black hair quickly looked up and pulled out his own earbuds, explaining why he couldn’t hear Gizmo’s loud clamor.

“Hi!” Jack smiled politely. “It’s kind of weird running into someone out in an empty field- whoa. Hey, are you okay?” The man in front of him quickly pulled off his glasses and wiped away at his charming brown eyes. His face was slightly red and his eyes were definitely puffy. “Man, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt anything.”

“No,” the stranger responded weakly. “It’s fine. I’m more embarrassed than anything.”

Jack was surprised to hear an American accent layered in the man’s alluring voice. He watched as a small smile surfaced as his dog jumped up on the brown-eyed man. Before he could tug the leash to retrieve Gizmo, the American gave a laugh as the small dog snuggled his face and licked his cheeks.

“I’m sorry, you’re not allergic or anything, right?” Jack asked. The stranger shook his head and gave a full-force laugh when his glasses got knocked off. “Shit, Gizmo!” The Irishman quickly grabbed his dog and placed him firmly on the ground before handing the American his glasses back. “I am so sorry, man.”

“No, it’s really fine,” the man with black hair smiled again but this time less powerful. He wiped off his glasses and placed them back on the bridge of his nose. He cast a glance up at his visitor and blinked hard. “Sorry to freak you out with the crying. I didn’t expect anyone to be here.”

“Jack,” the younger man responded and stuck out his hand. He was greeted with a bewildered look but the man muttered his name back. Mark. The two gave strong handshakes and Jack motioned towards the trunk Mark was sitting on. “Mind if I sit?”

In response, the American scooted over. The Irishman sat down and hesitantly unhooked Gizmo from the leash again. She began frolicking in the tall grass again. He figured she wouldn’t run off too far because she was intrigued by the new person.

“So, what’re you here in Ireland for?” Jack questioned. “Ireland is a bit far from America.”

Sighing, the older of the two looked back down at the ground. “You know we have a class together.”

Cocking his head to the side slightly, the blue-eyed man pondered for a bit. He even chewed his bottom lip tenderly in his confusion. He studied the American hard, his eyes tracing over the strong jawline, the naturally full muscles, the scruff on his face. When their eyes connected again and Jack focused, it finally clicked.

“Oh!” He chirped happily, a wide grin plastered on his face. “We have Microbiology together, right? Mark Fischbach!”

A smile crept up on Mark’s face as well, happy that he was indeed remembered. “Yeah.”

“Sorry that I didn’t realize it was you at first. It’s kind of hard piecing that stuff together when you see someone outside of a school setting. It’s hard to recognize you since you’re hair is a little different today.” Jack was referring to the fact his peer didn’t have his hair up in a fauxhawk for once. It sat flatly on his head.

“It’s cool.”

“Can I ask why you were crying?”

The man with black hair glanced towards his new company and sighed. “It’s just kind of awful being out in a country you don’t really know sometimes.” Mark’s voice was unsettled. “It’s a wonderful experience, don’t get me wrong, but I don’t really make friends easily.”

Jack scooted closer to the upset individual unconsciously, naturally drawn to him. Their shoulders were almost touching.

“I’m surprised,” the Irishman responded as he looked over at his dog to make sure she hadn’t run off too far. Gizmo was happily sniffing the ground around them. “Actually, that’s very surprising.”

“Huh?” Mark looked at Jack again, all traces of him crying already gone. “Why?”

Rubbing the back of his neck mildly, Jack intently watched a butterfly flap its wings as it floated by. They had a stunning pattern to them. He almost decided on not saying what was on his mind but when he saw the hopeful gleam in the brown eyes that peered into him, he sighed and turned his head away again before speaking.

“You’re a very, well, attractive and charismatic man,” the younger man admitted with a low tone. A slow warmth rose on his cheeks. “I mean, you’re not exactly hard to look at.”

“Thanks.” Mark’s voice was soft.

“Sorry if that creeped you out or anything,” Jack said quietly. “I don’t mean to freak you off.”

He felt something lean lightly on him and he saw it was Mark’s shoulder touching his own.

“It didn’t creep me out,” the American laughed, his cheeks just as flushed as his company’s. “I’m flattered. No one’s been so upfront about that to me before. It’s pretty cool.”

Bashfully, the Irishman looked at his dog so he would have something to focus his attention on. She glanced back up at him when she felt his eyes on her, but quickly went back to digging holes when she realized she didn’t need to come back to him yet. Jack internally cursed because he knew that he would have to give her a bath later since he was the one who took her out of the house.

“Well, you know, I really didn’t mean to interrupt your alone time,” the younger one admitted, his blue eyes soft as they looked back up at the sky. Leaning back on his palms, he let the sun bask his face in light again. “I was out in the field taking a nap when my dog saw you and went crazy and woke me up.”

Mark looked at him and kept his eyes heavy on the visitor. He looked so comfortable in the sun and it was such a beautiful sight that he almost forgot to respond. “It’s fine. It’s actually nicer to have some company with me than it is to cry alone.” He offered a polite but humored chuckle before he leaned back as well, matching Jack’s exact pose. He felt the sun as well and immediately understood why this was so appealing. The sun’s rays gave a peculiar warmth that reminded him of sunny California.

“Do you come here often?”

“Not often,” the American admitted, his eyes still closed. “But I’ve been here before. What about you?”

“This is my first,” the Irishman responded, a slight smile on his face. “Gizmo ran after something and we ended up here. That damn dog.”

“She’s adorable, though.”

“And a pain. Speaking of which…” Mark opened his eyes and saw that the small dog had returned to the two men as was desperately trying to crawl on top of the trunk as well. “Gizmo, you want to go home? Do you, girl? You tired now?”

Jack stood up and hooked the long black leash back up to her collar hook and turned back around to face his peer. “I think she wants to head back now.” Looking up at the sky he saw it had moved a ways. “I should head back.”

Scrambling to his feet as well, Mark looked at him with nervous eyes. “Is it okay if I walk back with you?”

When his visitor nodded with a grin, the two headed off through the grassy field again. He kept in pace with the Irishman and laughed every time the small dog did something amusing. They idly chatted for a while as they continued down the path Jack first traveled down. About fifteen minutes later, the younger man bent down and unhooked the leash again and watched his dog run off towards the house nearby.

“This is my stop!” Jack said as he ceased his pace. He grinned at Mark and watched the brown-eyed man’s panicked expression. “Would you like to come in? I’m cooking dinner for my parents. I don’t mind making extra!”

Waving his hand in front of him, the older of the two politely shook his head. “No, that’s fine. I have to return to my dorm. I have loads of homework to do.”

“Oh, alright,” the Irishman said, his voice a little deflated. A part of him was seriously hoping that the beautiful American wanted to stay over. “You know how to get back from here, right?”

Nodding, his elegant black hair flopping around slightly, Mark bit his bottom lip awkwardly. His eyes darted away but before Jack could ask what was wrong, those stunning brown eyes came back to look at him. They looked glossy again but the Irishman didn’t see any tears fall.

“Do you think that… We could meet up again? Please?”

The younger man’s heart lurched slightly before it picked up its rhythm. He ran his hands through his hair and beamed. “Yeah, of course! Maybe we could, uh. Maybe you’d like to go grab a drink sometime.”

“I’m free tomorrow night,” Mark quickly threw. “Tonight just happened to be a bad night.”

“Alright,” Jack smiled, the sunlight brightening his gorgeous blue eyes much to the American’s innocent delight. “I’d love to go get a drink with you. It’s a date.”

His cheeks flushed red. Mark normally would have been much smoother but he had been completely caught off guard today with the whole incident that he felt more vulnerable than anything. He took note that Jack didn’t seem to mind that at all.

“A date,” Mark confirmed, nodding.

“Well, thanks for walking me home, Fischbach,” the Irishman joked as he pushed his shoulder. “Very gentlemanly. I approve.”

Rolling his eyes playfully, the brown-eyed man gave a hearty laugh, his nerves still a little rattled.

“I’ll pick you up tomorrow night at 8. I mean, I do know where you live after all. Sound good?”

The American shoved his hands deep into his pockets and said goodbye to the Irishman after he said yes.

Mark stared ahead as he continued down the dirt path they had just walked down. Walking the younger man home meant he had traveled in the opposite direction of the school, but to him, the forty minute walk back was worth it.

Looking back up at the sky, he stared at the clouds above and felt the sun hit his face just like it had in the field. Mark couldn’t help but think of the way those rays hit Jack’s face as they sat together on that lonely stump. It definitely was one of the most beautiful things that he had seen since moving out here to Ireland. The way Jack’s eyelashes curled comfortably had been immensely lovely as well as the beautiful look of contentment he sported. Mark almost felt guilty for thinking of that scene all the way back to his dorm, but it definitely made him feel happy.

It strangely reminded him of home.


	9. Different

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> axnsi-girlwithlottafandom requested: Imagine your OTP walking through a modern art museum. Person A thinks the paintings are beautiful while Person B grumbles that the paintings look like something a five year old did.

Staring at the paintings around them, Jack was grumbling unhappily as he followed his boyfriend through the large building. He tried to enjoy their time here, _he really did._ But the more he looked at all of the art on display, the more his boredom grew. He was hiding it well from the birthday boy, but he let himself slip every once in a while while Mark’s back was turned. 

The Irishman had flown out from Ireland to visit his long distance YouTuber boyfriend for his birthday, and Mark had decided he wanted them to visit LACMA, a very popular art museum in LA. It was massive and if you wanted to cover the whole thing and really jump into the art, you would probably have to be there from opening time until closing. 

Which is exactly what Jack had planned. 

They had been here from when the doors first opened, but it was proving to be quite the chore for the Irishman. It all looked the same to him or didn’t particularly make any sense. 

“Hey, Jack!” The young American called, dragging Jack to a painting of splatters and colors, his grin wide. “What do you think of this?" 

Slightly squeezing his boyfriend’s hand, almost apologetically, the Irishman sighed. The painting looked weird. The younger of the couple felt terrible for not enjoying any of this art because it felt like his opinions were idiotic or he himself was dumb for not getting any of this. He looked at the plaque next to the painting and saw it was done by an artist named Jackson Pollock. 

Jack had heard of the name before, but never particularly seen his work around. Until now. 

"Isn’t it fascinating?" 

Quirking his head in different directions, the Irishman tried desperately to find some sort of meaning behind it or an important message, but all he was faced with was absurd paint splatter. 

"It looks like a five year old did it,” he grumbled, waiting to hear Mark scold him for not appreciating the modernistic art he loved so much. However, he was surprised when he heard a melodic laugh instead, his heart beating rapidly because of it. When he met the American’s gaze, he was greeted with amused and humored eyes. 

“Ah, _that’s_ why I love being with you,” he commented lovingly and placed an adoring kiss on Jack’s lips. When he pulled away, Jack looked up at his boyfriend, his cheeks slightly flushed. It was such a tender kiss and Mark’s lips had been so soft on his. If he was honest, it felt like all of his suffering had in fact not been in vain. 

The older YouTuber pulled the Irishman away from the painting, their hands intertwined so endearingly. 

“You’re not upset I can’t find anything in this… Art…?" 

Letting out another laugh, Mark smiled, his grin as beautiful as ever. 

"No, of course not! It makes it more amusing." 

"How?” His voice sounded confused as they trailed through a few sculptures. 

“The world would be a boring place if we _all_ thought the same, you know,” Mark responded happily as he glanced at his boyfriend beside him. 

They both grinned at each other and the Irishman was absolutely thrilled that his opinions actually had some meaning to them. Whatever anxiety and dread he had previously felt immediately washed away, his cheeks growing sore from smiling so much.

Mark always knew the right thing to say.


	10. Why, Hello There

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> lilbakonbit requested: AU where Sean and Mark were friends when they were little and when Sean's family moved to Ireland, Mark never forgot his best friend and crush. 20 years later and Mark finds him again under the name of Jack and 500% hotter.

“Mark, stop being a baby,” Sean playfully spat at his tiny brown-eyed companion, his small hands ruffling the crying child’s thick hair. Considering Mark was slightly older, it was quite humorous to see the younger child being the one who was teasing him. “C’mon! It’ll be okay! It’s only a tiny scrape!”

However, the older one pulled a bit at his charcoal hair with his right hand while his left wiped away the tears on his red face. He had been crying for several minutes now because he fell on the sidewalk but his parents were sitting on the bench at the park talking so they didn’t particularly notice his quiet but abundant wails.

Sean immediately came over and held him in a one armed hug as he poked Mark’s nose slightly. The older child hiccuped through his tears and looked up at his best friend, his face a sloppy mess.

The park was pretty peaceful today. They luckily had come at a good time where they managed to be the only children on the playground for once. Sean spent the night last night and Mark’s parents thought it would be a good idea to bring the rambunctious children to a park to save their furniture and items from further damage. The two best friends were quite a force to be reckoned with whenever they were spending time together. Broken vases, mud stains on carpets, or food spilled on clothes was not uncommon.

The child with gorgeous blue eyes pulled up his crying friend, brushed off the dirt from his clothes, and smiled.

“Are you okay? It’ll be fine! Do you want me to get your mommy?”

Mark wiped his face quickly, suddenly very soothed by Sean’s unique voice. It was fairly adorable listening to the slight lisp he carried.

“No, she’s going to get mad at me for getting my clothes dirty…”

“Then let’s do this!” And the younger child pulled his companion left, trotting along happily as they held one another’s hand. Mark’s red eyes blinked hard, confused as to what his friend was up to.

Sean was definitely known for being a boisterous child and was always getting in trouble with his teachers because of his copious amounts of energy. Mark was the very studious kid in the back of the class and one of those children who would spend recess practicing their mathematical skills. How he and Sean fit together so well was quite mysterious. In fact, it was so unclear that their parents often questioned how they could tolerate each other. It took a few years to realize that the loud and hyperactive child brought out a certain type of open energy in the quieter one while the studious kid gave the other a better sense of reasoning.

They balanced each other out fully.

The two children reached an ice cream truck with wild eyes, and Sean’s voice rung out quickly.

“Excuse me, sir!”

The ice cream man looked out his window and looked down with a happy smile.

“Oh, hello! What would you like?”

After a few minutes of thought, his right foot tapping on the ground while his hand still held his best friend’s, he finally came to an answer and rocked on his feet happily.

“Can I have a Teenage Mu-Mutant Ninja Turtle popsicle?”

The older man laughed at the child’s struggle to pronounce the long title, but nodded politely regardless. “Sure. What about for your friend?”

Mark’s brown eyes traced the pictures of various ice cream flavors and popsicles on the side of the truck, his lips pursed together slightly. There were just too many options. How was he supposed to know which one to choose? But Sean quickly interjected his thoughts and smiled a toothy grin.

“He’ll have Spongebob!”

The man ducked into his truck again and came back with the two popsicles in their wrappers. The younger child handed him a five dollar bill that his mother had given him before dropping him off at Mark’s house last night. He waited for his change and the two friends began walking back happily. The sound of sniffling was still prominent as the raven-haired child still calmed down, but he felt much safer with his best friend around.

Sean always knew how to fix what went wrong so it always seemed like he was a superhero. Mark sometimes believed his best friend and crush actually was.

Mark continued down the busy street, his thoughts clouded. He had a weird feeling about today for some reason. He had just turned 27 a week ago so he was fairly mature in his endeavors, but a peculiar sensation constantly kept gnawing at him. It was like a childish part of him was humming in contentment, like it knew something was going to happen today. Something that would doubtlessly be surprising.

He wasn’t sure why he felt this way, but he pushed it down regardless. He had better things to worry about. After all, he was in engineering school and had to finish his business there. Most people his age would at least be further in their journey in this field, but he was slightly behind in his education. He had much to catch up on.

The American planned on heading to the movie theatre to catch a film one of his professors promised extra credit for if he wrote a decent review, but an internal hunch begged him to turn into a small coffee shop housed on the corner. He had passed it from time to time, but not once had the brown-eyed engineer actually paid much attention to the shop.

It looked fairly dainty. It had a wooden-looking structure to it and the black windows had white decals of coffee cups and sandwiches on them. It was hard to see much inside, but the feeling wouldn’t go away as he began walking past the shop entirely. Finally deciding to at least buy a cup of coffee or tea and sit down for a few minutes, Mark turned around and entered the shop. Very few people were inside.

After the man ordered his coffee and received it, he sat at one of the tall tables with high stools and looked out the window. What caught his eye was something so beautiful.

A young man was standing outside, a wondering expression on his face. Brilliant blue eyes looked around him as he leaned against a pole, his hands shoved into the pockets of his jeans. Mark couldn’t stop tracing the gorgeous shape of the man’s figure through his long-sleeved black shirt or the way his collar bones poked out from beneath the collar. He noticed everything from the beautiful brunette scruff on the man’s face to the way his lips curved with each purse or every time his tongue came out to mindlessly moisten what he assumed to be a dry mouth.

Much to Mark’s embarrassment, the two made eye contact and the engineer stiffened, his lungs sucking in a sharp breath of air. Those opulent ice blue eyes widened when they locked gazes, and the American had to look away quickly, guilty he had been aweing over the stranger.

When he heard to coffee shop door ring open, he cursed to himself. The man must have come in to make a comment on how creepy he was being. However, it shocked Mark entirely when the beautiful man slid into the chair opposite of him at the same table and smiled.

“Hey, is it cool if I sit here?”

Mark looked around and saw the large amount of empty tables surrounding them. But for some reason, he made no comment and instead just nodded politely.

“My name is Jack,” the man said, his voice thickened heavily with what seemed to be an Irish accent. “I just came into town a few days ago. I was wondering if y'could tell me where _Lemonwood Street_ is?”

A certain glint reflected in his eyes, but Mark was too occupied with the way his mouth formed words to pay much attention. The only thing that was on his mind was how soft those delicate lips looked and how badly he wanted to-

“Do you know?”

Snapping out of his daze, the engineer flushed bright red as he chuckled nervously. “Lemonwood? Yeah, it’s past Newhope. Next street over actually.” Mark knew that street fairly well. He used to live on it.

His mind wandered off again as the Irishman continued talking about how he finally saved enough money to fly back out to the states and find a decent apartment out here. Apparently he used to live in California but that had been ages ago.

Mark was sure he was saying something else, but the way Jack’s animated hands flew through the air as he spoke and the sight of his chest rising and falling with each breath was too captivating. It was quite amazing how attractive this stranger was, and the American almost felt guilty for having slightly impure thoughts.

Almost.

“Are you listening, Mark?”

The man with inky hair quickly laughed again, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. “I’m so sorry about that. I’m a little… spaced out today. Yeah, about- _Wait._ ” The engineer’s eyes narrowed thoughtfully as he leaned forward, his lips quirking to the side slightly. Jack instantly caught his breath when he realized what he had said and felt his face flush a bright red. “Did you just call me Mark?”

“No, no, I don’t know what you’re talking about,” the Irishman’s said hurriedly. “Unless your name _is_ Mark, but I don’t know. You never told me your name.”

However, those ice blue eyes had a dark and mischievous look to them, almost as if they knew a secret Mark didn’t understand. But the more the older man looked at that stunning face and looked into those familiar eyes, it all clicked to him and a wide grin broke out on his face.

“Sean McLoughlin, you _sneaky son-of-a-bitch._ ”

A loud burst of laughter finally broke out from the Irishman’s mouth, a harmonious sound that filled Mark up to his very core. A wave of nostalgia hit him hard as images of endless nights with his childhood crush filled his ecstatic mind. They had stopped talking years and years ago for Sean, or Jack as he introduced himself, had moved away to Ireland under his parents’ pretenses. That had almost been 20 years ago. Mark remembered crying terribly hard as he and his parents waved off the family as they left their old house to the airport.

He could hardly believe himself as he looked at his once best friend in all his handsome glory. Jack definitely had aged well and the older man would be lying if he said that he wasn’t more attracted to this guy more than anyone ever before. It was definitely a treat.

“Why, hello there, Mark Fischbach.”


	11. Study Session

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anonymous said: Song lyric thing. "But I can't help falling in love with you"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fluff.

Jack unconsciously gave a slight smile at his best friend, his heart bouncing around rapidly. Mark was leaned over his math homework, quickly filling in the problems on the paper. His hands sped through the sheet, solving each problem thoroughly. He was always known for his brilliant brain.

The Irishman should have been studying for his class as well, but he couldn’t help but observe his favorite college friend. He watched the way Mark’s lips pursed when he thought about the math he was doing, the periodic slight squint of his gorgeous chocolate eyes hidden behind glared glasses, the messy thick hair on top that refused to calm down as the future bio-medical engineer ran his strong hands through them endlessly.

Jack’s dazed eyes suddenly widened slightly when Mark quickly looked up from his homework and looked at his best friend. He felt his heart flutter at the award-winning smile the other gave him, pure charm surfacing.

“What’re you staring at?”

Tilting his head slightly and running his hands through his greying hair, Jack simply smiled in return. “Just looking at your homework. Looks hard.”

“Remind me again why I chose a major that requires tons of math?”

The two laughed and Jack broke their gaze to look back down at his own textbook, endless sentences not sticking to his brain at all. They both had finals coming up next week, but Jack knew he would never get any studying done with his best friend around.

When he looked back up, he saw Mark chewing at the end of his pencil, the wood dented further with each bite.

Jack should be focused on his own homework, but the only thing he could study was the lovely way Mark looked in that library.

 _You’re fucked,_ he cursed himself. _Absolutely fucked._


	12. Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ducking-g--hallatious said: if our love is tragedy, why are you my remedy? / if our love's insanity, why are you my clarity?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fluff.
> 
> (A stream fic)

Mark’s head was spinning. His body was so tired, but as he lay in his bed after a long day of his office job, he stared at the ceiling as his mind ran in circles. He was on the path to becoming a biomedical engineer, yet he was awfully unhappy with his current employment. He worked long hours for almost no acknowledgement, and he just felt unappreciated there. It was torture.

And the worst part, he had to wake up early to do it all over again. 

It was dark outside, the moon high in the night sky. If he recalled, it was a quarter past midnight and he would have to get up early for another long day on the job. 

With his arms behind his head, he turned to look at his lover beside him and his gaze fell upon Jack sleeping soundlessly. He was sleeping on his stomach with his head facing Mark, his eyelids heavy and his torso moving with each slow breath. He looked incredibly at ease. 

Mark rolled over, his muscles tight underneath his skin, and he ran a soft hand through that grey-streaked hair he adored so much. Jack grumbled for a moment, stirring slightly in his sleep, but soon enough, his eyes opened and connected with his boyfriend’s.

“Hey, you’re home,” he mumbled, his mind groggy. “Another long day?”

“Yeah,” Mark sighed, but only after he placed a slow kiss on Jack’s forehead. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you up.”

Jack’s bright blue eyes closed again as he leaned into Mark’s hand which was now cupping his cheek. “S'fine. I didn’t get to see you at all today. I’m glad to be awake to see you, even if it isn’t for long.”

Mark simply chuckled and pressed his forehead against his sleepy boyfriend’s, a sigh escaping his lips. “I still feel bad, I really didn’t mean to wake you. I know you had a long day, too.”

Jack lightly swatted Mark’s chest, the fabric of his shirt being pulled in his fingers as he made contact. “Shut up. I’m being serious. I miss you in the day. I barely get to see you.”

Another audible sigh was heard in the room, but this one was not of exhaustion. It was of guilt.

“I know. I’m really sorry,” he mumbled quietly. “It’s hard on me too.”

“I just wish that I got to see you more,” Jack responded, his voice lowering an octave as he already began drifting off to sleep again. It was easy to see he was in a sleepy haze. It was likely that Jack didn’t even realize what he was saying. “I miss waking up to you, you know. This apartment gets lonely.”

And with that, Mark’s heart broke in half. He remained in frozen silence for a few moments and when Jack’s slight snoring began once more, Mark let the tears fall, the sheets soaking up the falling drops. It was an awful feeling, and Mark’s chest felt incredibly tight. 

He looked back at Jack and saw the slight flush on his cheeks as his mouth parted so slightly. 

“Wait, Jack,” Mark whispered, slightly shaking his boyfriend awake again. He stirred, but it took a few more shakes for his eyes to open again. “Are you lonely here?”

“Of course I am. You’re not here. I barely get to see you.”

“Really?”

“You’re gone before sunrise, and this is probably the earliest you’ve been home in weeks. I just wish I got to see you more is all.”

With his bottom lip sucked in between his teeth, Mark let out a disgruntled noise, his vision blurring with tears again. He didn’t mean for any of this to happen. It was bad enough that he hated his awful job, but now it was taking a toll on someone other than himself. It was hurting the one he loved most.

“Jack, why haven’t you said anything before?“ 

“Because you’re on the path to your dreams,” he groggily answered, his eyes closing again as he talked. “I’d never ask you to change that. This is the path you wanted to take. Follow it.”

Mark let his lover fall back asleep, his heart even heavier than before. It was excruciating knowing that Jack was so lonely here when he was at work, but even so, still supported Mark with everything he had. It was the definition of unconditional love. 

He pulled himself up out of bed, being extra careful not to wake up Jack, and walked downstairs into the living room. It had been such a long time since he had actually been able to sit down and play a few games or even watch a movie. 

The room almost felt foreign to him. Most nights he would come home, shower, then head straight to bed before getting up to go to work yet again. 

As he sat down on the couch and felt his body sink into it, he pursed his lips unhappily. He missed this. He really did. It had been so long. It still felt like yesterday Jack had agreed to move in with him, yet here he was, incredibly unhappy. Mark ran a hand along his jaw out of habit and felt slight stubble poking through. It had even been a while since he had a long shower and shaved his face.

It had been far too long for too many things.

Eventually, the sun was rising and the room was filling up with light. When Mark’s eyes opened, he quickly realized that if the sun was coming through, he was awfully late for work as it was. The commute was incredibly long and he would be lucky to make it on time. 

When he looked around, he realized that he had actually fallen asleep on the couch. But when he was getting ready to move, it dawned on him that there was something pressing against his body. As he came out of his groggy haze, it was soon clear that it was actually Jack’s sleepy body pressed against him. His arms were wrapped around Jack’s waist as his back pressed against Mark’s torso.

Jack’s hair was disheveled from what Mark could tell, a part of it likely from him running his hand through it last night. A blanket had been thrown over the two of them, and an endearing smile spread across his face. Jack must have woken up and come out into the living room to fall asleep with Mark. He had even made sure he wouldn’t be cold.

“Jack,” Mark whispered, shaking him again. But Jack didn’t wake up this time. He simply rolled over so he was facing Mark and buried his head into the crook of his boyfriend’s neck. “Oh.”

The sunlight was peeking through the curtains now. It was odd being able to see his house actually alive with natural light for once, and he smiled at the thought. He hadn’t been able to do this in such a long time. It felt like it had been years since he last felt Jack in his arms.

But after an hour or so of pure concentration and mindful thoughts, his serenity was shifted when Jack’s eyes flew open.

“Mark?”

“Hey, Sean.” Jack practically grinned at his birth name being used. “You didn’t have to come out here and sleep with me. I’m sure it was more comfortable on the bed.”

Jack pulled his body up slightly and left a soft kiss on Mark’s lips. He lingered for a few seconds longer than expected, but Mark couldn’t complain. 

“What are you still doing here, though?” Jack sat up. “You’re going to be late for work.”

But Mark simply pulled his boyfriend back down and rested his chin on top of his head, squeezing Jack’s body in his arms. “I don’t care,” he whispered. “Don’t break this moment. Please.”

“What are you talking about?” But Jack obliged and nuzzled into him even further, a sigh of contentment escaping his lungs. “Work is work.”

“Do you remember me coming home last night?”

“No. I only remember waking up when I came out here.”

“You told me you were lonely,” Mark informed. Jack’s body went rigid in a flash. Mark felt the difference and pressed a kiss on his hair. “I’m so sorry.”

“No, don’t apologize. You know that I would never tell you to stop-”

“Which is why I think I’m going to.”

Jack tried sitting up, but Mark hissed slightly when he stirred. 

“But-”

“What did I say about breaking the moment?” Mark warned. “I’m being honest. I’m tired of working there. I’m so overworked and they treat me terribly. Last night… When you told me that you were lonely and you wished I was around more,” his voice cracked, “I realized this wasn’t fair to either of us anymore.”

Jack shifted his position so he would be eye level with his boyfriend. “You don’t need to say that. I will support you no matter what.”

“I know. Which is what makes this choice easier. You’ve never tried stopping me, but when you told me that, I couldn’t help but be slightly relieved. It was my ticket out. It gave me the reason I needed to bail. I hate it there. You know how tired I am from it, and just…”

“What, Mark?”

“I miss you, too.”

Tears were already streaming down Mark’s face, but when Jack gave him another heartfelt kiss, his heart felt happy. This was the happiest he had been in months, and he would be damned if he wanted to give this up again. They were both still in college. They had a lot of room to change their paths, and it was obvious he had chosen the right person to be by his side through it all. 

“So what are you going to do then?” Jack asked when he pulled back. His eyes were also glossed over. “Are you going to quit?”

"Probably,” Mark shrugged slightly as he smiled. “But we’ll worry about that later. It’s still early. Do you want to go back to sleep, or would you like to make me one of your famous breakfasts?”

Jack let out a loud laugh, one that made his eyes wrinkle in the corners, and his cheeks slightly flush red. It was absolutely beautiful. 

“Well, I already got to wake up to you,” he noted once the laughter died down. But the brilliant smile was still there. “I’ll of course make you breakfast.” As Mark moved to get up, Jack pressed him back down. “Whoa, no. You’ve been working way too hard lately. You definitely deserve to sleep in some more. I’ll wake you when I’m done, okay?" 

Mark blinked and pouted, but the stern look on his boyfriend’s face grounded him. "Alright, alright.”

And with a quick kiss on Mark’s forehead, Jack was off. Pots and pans could be heard clinking from within the kitchen, and he could faintly hear the faucet running. He wasn’t sure what was on the menu today, but he was just happy to be at home for once. Jack’s slightly off-key singing even began to flow through the air, and he recognized it as an Irish song because he couldn’t understand a single word of it.

The sun was still in their living room, but this time much brighter than before. He ought to be asleep now, just like Jack had told him to do, but he couldn’t help but sneak into the kitchen and startle his boyfriend by wrapping his arms around his waist from behind.

This was home. And he was glad to be back.


	13. First Kiss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> galaxyghosty said: septiplier, 14: things you said after you kissed me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fluff.

Jack pulled away, an anxious smile decorating his face. When Mark’s eyes opened, he saw the nervous grin, his own smile faltering. With a quirked eyebrow, he ran a thumb over his high school boyfriend’s pale cheek.

“What’s that look for?” He questioned, his own thoughts clouding with worry. 

_Did Jack not feel the same spark he did? Did Jack realize that he didn’t want to kiss Mark back as badly as Mark wanted to kiss him?_

“Nothing,” he muttered, slightly turning away from Mark’s thumb and grabbing the couch pillow to grasp in his lap while the man sporting glasses dropped his hand by his side. “You’re just being a silly.”

Mark moved closer, his heart practically in his throat. “Jack, tell me. What’s wrong? I know this was our first kiss and all, but-”

“Well,” he interrupted before chewing on his bottom lip thoughtfully. “That’s exactly my problem.”

“What is?”

“That… it was my first kiss.”

There was a moment of realization that washed over Mark, and soon enough, his cheeks warmed up incredibly fast. He had no clue that Jack had never kissed anyone, and when he met those blue eyes he had grown familiar with, he saw the nervousness clouded within them. His heart sunk.

“Oh, I see,” Mark cautiously said. “I didn’t mean to take that away from you if you weren’t ready-”

“No!” Jack interjected for the second time that night. “No, that’s not the problem. I just… I know you’ve kissed others, and I know I probably seem bad in comparison since I don’t exactly have practice…” He trailed off.

But the only response Mark could manage was a loud round of laughter, although he so desperately tried to contain it. He watched the shame wash over his boyfriend, but he held a hand up as he attempted to control his giggles and hiccups. 

When he was finally calm, and by the time Jack looked like he was about to cry of embarrassment, Mark simply took his face in his hands and pressed another tender kiss to those lips he found himself wanting to memorize.

“Jack, that’s nothing to be worried about, you goof,” Mark informed once they pulled away and his Irish lover stared with a gawking expression. “This isn’t a game of experience. I’ll have you know that I love the way your lips feel against mine.” He pressed another to enforce his point. “They’ve fit better than anyone else, alright?”

When Mark patted Jack’s cheek lightly, the young man with bright blue eyes couldn’t help but grin happily as this time, he was the first to lean in again.


	14. Pacific Coast Highway

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ducking-g--hallatious said: 7, 8, or 14 with Septiplier, take your pick. (7. things you said while you were driving)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fluff.

The car ride had been absolutely long. In fact, Jack was pretty sure that he was going to rip his hair out from boredom at any minute now. 

The sun was setting at least, the horizon streaked in wonderful hues of orange and yellow. It was a wonderful sight, mainly along the coastline of southern California. He was happy he got to see it, especially with his boyfriend, but he’d be damned if this car ride didn’t feel like it lasted all eternity.

“You look like you’re going to kill me,” Mark chuckled as he glanced at his fidgeting passenger. “Do you hate this drive down PCH?”

“You Californians and your fuckin’ Pacific Coast Highway shit. This road goes on for ages.”

He pouted as Mark let out a loud laugh, his lips showing a bright smile. “Well, isn’t someone being incredibly grumpy today.” 

“I mean, yeah, it’s really fucking cool that you get this road that follows the beach and you get to see the ocean most of the time, but holy fuck, the traffic out here is god awful and I’m pretty sure we’ve been driving for almost an hour.”

“Jack, it’s been half an hour.”

He almost didn’t believe it. But he remained silent as his blue eyes peered out at the almost bumper to bumper traffic in front of them. With a loud sigh, he turned back to Mark who was quietly singing along to the radio music, his appearance decorated with sunglasses and wind-tossed hair. 

He looked so _Californian_ that it made Jack chuckle.

“Sorry, I don’t mean to be such a downer, but I’m really not used to all this traffic. Not to mention your fuckin’ steering wheel is on the left and not the right. That shit is crazy.”

Mark laughed again, but this time, it lasted a tad longer. “You’re just too Irish for us Americans, you know. Why don’t you go back to your rain and gloomy weather while we bask in our glorious sun.”

Jack made a _“pft”_ sound before looking back out his window, the scenery slowly crawling by as they didn’t pass twenty miles per hour. He pondered for the next fifteen minutes, his bottom lip tucked in between his teeth and his thumbs twiddling in his lap. 

He had been such a negative person this entire ride while Mark had been so positive. He was taking Jack out to one of the best places to watch the sunset after all, and while he wasn’t sure if they were going to miss it thanks to the heavy traffic, he still should be grateful that he got the opportunity regardless. Mark was doing the best he could. 

“You know, Mark, I’m really sorry,” Jack began. “I don’t mean to act so awful. I know you’re just trying to show me something cool and I’m just terrible with car rides so please just forget everything I complained about.”

There was a moment of silence, but Mark eventually did speak. There was an amused tone to his voice which calmed Jack’s guilt slightly.

“Jack, you know it’s fine. I know this isn’t exactly fun, but remember, the scene is pretty great outside your window. I know you’ve been staring out for the longest time, but seriously, just look at it.”

And Jack did. He looked out his window, looked at the changing hues in the sky like before, but this time, he looked harder. He watched families on the sand with happy smiles and laughter, and the dogs on leashes as their owners rode by on beach cruisers. Jack observed the busy crowds, and the beautiful waves on the shoreline, the surfers still using what little daylight was left to catch what waves they could. He even watched some of the other cars beside them just as equally caught in traffic as they were. But he noted how Californian they looked with their messy hair thanks to the wind and the slightly tanned skin. In essence, it reminded him so much of Mark that it was shocking.

Jack turned back to his boyfriend and smiled. “Yeah, you’re right. It’s pretty beautiful.” But of course, there was a double meaning behind that as his thoughts ran rampant of Californian Mark. 

“Told you so,” the man playfully sniped. 

“You did,” Jack laughed as he held the hand his boyfriend offered, their hands intertwined in Mark’s lap.


	15. Grump

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anonymous said: Can I get Mark waking up grumpy Jack in the most adorable way possible? Pleeeeaaaaase? OvO

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fluff.

“Jack,” Mark whispered, shaking his boyfriend slightly. The light voice was the only noise within the room. “Wake up.”

Jack barely stirred. His eyebrows furrowed faintly and his nose twitched, but he hadn’t made any other signal that he was even remotely awake. When Mark tried again, Jack opened one eye, squinting at the older man. 

“What do y'want?”

“I’m hungry…” Mark commented, his bottom lip slightly in a pout. “You haven’t gone grocery shopping yet, and I don’t want to go grab breakfast alone.”

With a loud huff, Jack rolled over, his face burying into his sheets. “Mark. I love that you’re here and all. But please. I’m so fuckin’ tired.”

“Jack,” Mark drawled. “Let’s go outside! Show me around some more!”

Jack pulled the pillow over his head when the sun seeped through his blinds and onto his face. The only thing he responded with was a grumpy _“fuck off, sunlight.”_

When his boyfriend didn’t respond outside of an incredibly low groan after he tried shaking him again, Mark felt himself sigh as he sat up in bed, staring down at the normally loud Irishman. He waited for a few moments, somewhat expecting Jack to pull himself up, but he was greeted with light snoring.

With pursed lips, he fell back down on the bed and pulled the blanket back down from Jack’s body. He didn’t stir again, but his quiet snoring had ceased.

Mark pressed a small kiss on the back of his boyfriend’s bare shoulder, then paused to wait for some sort of reaction. When he didn’t receive one, he pressed another to his spine, then the other shoulder. Jack finally twitched a little, but still didn’t say anything.

Mark snaked his arms around the other’s waist, pulling him tight against his chest. He immediately started peppering light kisses on the back of Jack’s neck, the skin warm underneath his touch. The older man’s eyes closed as he pressed a tender kiss behind his ear, then turning him slightly so he could press his lips on that jawline he adored so much.

“Mark,” the smaller man warned in a tender tone. “I’m trying to sleep.”

But he didn’t say anything else as Mark turned him over so he could further adorn the man’s tired face. He gave soft kisses on Jack’s chin, then trailed to his cheeks, followed by the forehead, and surprisingly even pressed his lips on closed eyelids.

Those eyelids fluttered open, and Mark smiled at the wild blue eyes that stared back at him.

“Kisses aren’t going to make me get out of bed, mister,” Jack mumbled, his eyes half-lidded, voice low from just waking up. “I know what you’re doing.”

“Really now?” Another kiss came, but this time, it was a delicate one on his slightly chapped lips. “Is it working, Jackaboy?”

With a low groan, he pulled Mark on top of him. Mark’s cheeks flushed as he looked down at his boyfriend whose greying hair was sticking out in odd places with soft, tired eyes, and a mouth quirked in a side smile. Jack was always beautiful of course, but in this moment, Mark couldn’t help but feel his heart still.

“S’ppose it is,” he murmured, his Irish accent heavy with exhaustion. “Although, you’re lucky you’re cute,” Jack said as he pressed a light kiss on Mark’s nose. “Otherwise, your arse would be out on my doorstep for wakin’ me up so fucking early.”

The older man laughed, his eyes closing when he pressed their foreheads together. “Well, now you’re almost making it hard to leave this bed.”

When the younger man’s eyes widened slightly, he felt himself laugh.

“Really? Y’mean we can sleep some more?”

“I said _almost,_ ” Marked reminded, rolling off of Jack completely and chuckling at his boyfriend’s deep sigh.

The Irishman pulled himself out of bed as well and grumbled all the way to the kitchen to make some coffee, Mark in tow with a brilliant smile.


	16. Granted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> sopwinderbeen said: Can you make a mini fix of 30 please? :) (30. “The ocean is large, isn’t it?”)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fluff.

Jack stood on the edge of the shore’s edge, his feet sinking into the wet sand as the water retreated back to the ocean. He watched the sand envelop him up to his ankles, his eyes fixated as a sand crab buried itself back underneath. He let out a strong sigh and looked back up at the setting sun. Jack pressed his phone back up to his ear and heard a familiar voice talk from his side of the call.

“Shouldn’t you be headed back home, Jack?” Mark questioned. “It’s probably sunset there, right?”

“Yeah, it is. You’re at sunrise, hm?” 

“Well, the sun is a bit higher, but yeah, sunrise was a few hours ago. The beach looks really nice today.”

“Well, that’s sunny Los Angeles for you,” the Irishman chuckled, continuing his walk down the sandy shoreline. Even though the bottom of his jeans were rolled up, they were still damp from the sea spray. “I’m lucky it was a nice day to drive out to the beach for once. It wasn’t fuckin’ raining like usual.”

“I’d love to visit you in Ireland to be honest.” There was a pause for a moment. “Even in the rain.”

“I’d figure Los Angeles would be the best option, don’t y’think?”

“Yeah, but if you came to LA, I’d have to share you with the Grumps and Matthias and everyone…” Mark’s voice was so serious that Jack couldn’t help but laugh, his head tilting back ever so slightly. “I’m serious! In Ireland, I’d get to just spend time with you. No one else would get in the way.”

“That’d be great. Gotta wait for our schedules to calm down for that first.”

“Yeah, that’s pretty important,” he grumbled, and Jack could already imagine him running his hands through his hair at the realization. “But, I really do want to visit you. It’d be a long trip, but it’d be worth it.”

Jack hummed as he looked out at the horizon. He caught sight of a small boat in the distance sailing across the lulling waves. The only thing that came to mind was him and Mark renting out a boat for themselves and spending the day out there – even if Mark was terrified of the ocean. 

“The ocean’s large, isn’t it?”

“Yeah,” the other responded with a calm tone. “But I’d travel it for you anyway.” 

Jack snickered through the bright blush that rushed over his cheeks and tips of his ears. “That was so fuckin’ corny. Even for you.”

“Hey!” He interjected. “It’s the truth! Don’t make fun of my romantic ways!”

“Whatever, Mark,” he laughed. “Well, I’m about to head home, I guess. It’s about an hour’s drive. Want to hop on Skype when I get back?”

He heard the slight roaring of waves from Mark’s end of the call, and for a moment, as he listened the noise from his own side of the ocean, he felt temporarily close to his boyfriend once more.

“I’ll be home by the time you are. See you then.”

“Sure.”

“Oh, and Jack?”

“Hm?”

“Let’s plan for me to visit when you get back, alright?” Jack’s heart skipped a beat as he took a sharp breath. “You there?”

“Yeah,” he choked out. “Yeah, of course. Love you. See you then.”

“Love you, too. See you.”

When Jack heard the click that silence the long distance call, he sighed again, thankful for the crisp sea air. Being far apart from Mark was one of the hardest things he had to do, but as he looked back out at the boat on the horizon, he gave a slight smile. He would definitely be taking his boyfriend out on the water.

Jack would just have to take what he would get, and sometimes, that would just have to be enough. 

The ocean may be large, but he could definitely appreciate the time he was granted.


	17. Good Morning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sentence Prompt: “Are you wearing my shirt?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This actually wasn't a request but for some reason Ao3 didn't upload my new series Tumblr Drabbles, so I'm just going to throw this in the Request series.

Jack groaned slightly, using his arm to cover his aching eyes. He rolled out of the sudden sunlight, a deep sigh escaping soon after. The sheets tangled around him and he was surprised to find that the spot next to him was empty. When he realized Mark’s absence, he finally opened his eyes and looked around momentarily.

He finally found him in front of the opened curtains.

“Why did you have to open the fucking curtains?” He hissed, throwing his face into the pillow Mark usually used when he slept over. “You know I’m not a mornin’ person.”

When Jack heard the soft grumble of his coffee machine in the kitchen, he peeked out from the pillow and gave a soft glare.

Mark simply shrugged, slipping on his glasses. “C’mon, let’s go out and get breakfast or something. It’s not even that early.” The man still wrapped in the sheets saw a delicate smile on his boyfriend’s face, his heart easing slightly.

“I’m fuckin’ tired.”

“You’re always tired. There’s nothing new about that.”

Rolling back over, Jack breathed harshly into his own pillow. He was slightly aggravated by the fact Mark was trying to get him out of bed, but he would fight it if he could. He hated sleeping because it took up far too much of his time, but it didn’t make getting out from underneath his blankets any easier.

“C’mon. What time is it anyway?”

“It’s eight in the morning.”

The Irishman quickly threw his arm over his eyes yet again as he looked up. “Mark. Are you absolutely serious?”

He felt the bed creak and shift, and soon enough, his arm was being lifted from his face. When his vision focused, he met Mark’s soft gaze, his warm brown eyes looking at him from behind his glasses. That same gentle smile was still there, and Jack found his hand cupping his boyfriend’s cheek, his thumb running across his cheek.

“I think it would be fun to go get breakfast. We never do.” Jack’s heart lurched at the deep tone.

“It’s because I’m always sleeping.”

Mark elicited a small chuckle. “You’re further proving me right, you know.”

“To you, maybe.”

He felt himself laugh when Mark harshly pulled the sheets off of his tired body, the cold bedroom air hitting his exposed skin due to his shirt being hiked up from tossing and turning throughout the night. He had been expecting the other man to tickle him or blow raspberries on his stomach, but he saw Mark pause instead.

“Hey. Are you wearing my shirt?”

Jack looked down, his gaze falling on his clothing. He realized he had been wearing Mark’s purple t-shirt, the fabric loose on his smaller frame.

“Oh, I guess I did. I must’ve grabbed it when I got out of the shower last night thinking it was mine. Here, I’ll put it back in the drawer of your other clothes–”

Mark placed a hand on Jack’s arm as he began pulling the shirt over his head. He pulled it back down when he saw his boyfriend’s loving expression.

“No, it’s fine.” He did a quick lookover, Jack’s body no longer underneath the covers. He was in his boxers as well, and Mark smiled when he looked back up. “My shirt looks good on you. I like it.”

Jack’s cheeks immediately flushed, his lips parting slightly in astonishment. He tried searching for something to respond with, especially to such a kind compliment, but instead let Mark give him one kiss on his collarbone, nuzzle his face into the crook of his neck momentarily, then watched as he pulled back with another genuine grin.

“You know,” Jack breathed, sitting up and throwing his arms around Mark’s neck. “Breakfast wouldn’t be too bad. Your sucking up worked.” But Jack’s heart swelled as he remembered the look his boyfriend gave him, knowing very well that it wasn’t just sucking up. He really had meant it.

Mark let out a small round of laughter, the corners of his eyes wrinkling. “Sounds like a plan, Jackaboy.”


	18. Disorder

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> skullygirl asked: "and i don’t want the world to see me / cause i don’t think that they’d understand / when everything’s made to be broken / i just want you to know who i am" (lyric prompt)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fluff  
> Writer!Mark

Mark was shaking. He could feel it. His hands, his arms, his shoulders. He felt it travel through him as he tried to ground himself onto the desk he was sitting at, his trembling hands trying to grab onto the corners, feeling the aged wood underneath his harsh fingertips. A drop fell from his eyes, and he watched it spread on the paper before his vision blurred with the rest of the tears. It was awful. It felt like the ground was falling from beneath his feet. It felt like his throat was burning, like it was literally on fire. Mark was so desperate to grab onto something, _anything._

But he felt a hand on his cheek. Trying to control his breathing, he peeked out from behind his closed eyelids and saw Jack kneeling on the ground, worried but calm eyes looking back at him. 

And he held his breath.

The room was silent. It was dimly lit and the only thing he could see was the desk illuminated by the warm lamp, and Jack’s blue eyes. His vision was blurry, trying to focus. His lungs were in pain. He could barely feel anything. 

But when Jack’s hand on his cheek didn't leave, and a thumb ran over Mark’s burning skin, he let out that breath, feeling the relief soothe his lungs as fresh air returned. It was soon followed with a hiccup as he tried to control himself again. 

“Mark, are you okay?” 

Mark nodded. 

“Are you stressing over this?” Jack’s free hand ran over the pages filled with beautiful ink, handwritten words spread over numerous pages. Jack’s eyes scanned the desk before promptly returning to meet Mark’s gaze. “Is it becoming too much right now?”

Mark nodded.

“Why don't we take a break?”

Mark shook his head this time, his breath held within his lungs once more. Tears were streaming down his face, stress overwhelming him physically, and mentally. He was calming down little by little, but it was obvious that Mark was absolutely still shaken up.

“Mark, you're panicking. You just had another breakdown. This is something big, I understand. This is something so, so important to you, right?”

Mark nodded once more.

“Yes,” he finally squeaked out, his voice hoarse and raspy. “It is.”

Jack placed the hand that was once on Mark’s cheek over his chest and sighed. “And I understand that completely. Believe me, I truly, truly do. I am so happy you're following your dreams, and I understand that it's scary, and it's stressful, and I understand that you have all these deadlines and you want to make them on time so your book will be published quickly.” He took a deep breath. “But Mark, you have to understand that while all of this is important to you, _you're_ important to me.”

There was a moment of silence. Mark didn't seem to be following him correctly, one of his hands still tightly holding onto the desk corner. 

“J-Jack, what does that have to do with anything right now? I only have a few days left to submit the next part to my editor, and I'm only halfway done editing it myself, and I don't have time to be talking to you about this right now and --”

Jack sighed, interrupting Mark’s jumbled rant. “Do you hear yourself?” He questioned, lifting himself up off of the floor, now looking down at Mark who was still very much seated in his chair. “You need to take a break. Please. If not for yourself, please, please do it for me.”

Mark shakily took another breath as Jack outstretched his hand, a worried look on his face. Jack didn't know what to expect-- he was unsure if his boyfriend would even take his hand.

But Mark did. 

His shaking hands took Jack’s as he was pulled out of his chair. It would be a long next couple of nights, Mark was sure of it, but having Jack to help calm him down was definitely something that was truly appreciated. 

And as the two curled up in bed, Jack holding on tightly as Mark cried into his chest the next couple of hours, desperately trying to relieve his built up stress, Mark found himself grateful, oh so incredibly grateful that he had his boyfriend around. 

“I know I don't say this often, well, lately anyway,” Mark began, feeling a hand run through his hair, “but I'm really glad you're here.”

“Don't worry, I know.”

“I'm sorry I don't say it often.”

“You don't need to. I love you, and I know you love me. Just thank you for coming to bed and taking some time to calm down.”

“Jack?”

“Yes, Mark?”

“Do you think it's okay if I just fall asleep for the night?”

Jack chuckled. “Are you getting sleepy?”

Mark hummed in response, his damp eyes desperately wanting to close. “Do you think that I'll still have enough time to finish editing? I know my editor does the actual editing but I want to make sure the details are correct--”

But Jack shushed him and pulled him closer. “Mark. You will have plenty of time, I promise.”

“How do you know?”

“Because I'll help you if you need me, okay? Which you won't, because you know you're fully capable of powering through it. You're a smart guy, you have the abilities, and you have extra help if you need it. You can do it, hands down.”

“You know I love you, right?”

“I know.”

“You seem to know everything, don't you?” Mark poked, a slight chuckle coming from the both of them.

“I do. Now go to sleep, we’ll deal with everything in the morning. For right now, you deserve to rest.”

Mark eventually drifted off to sleep, his body heavy and sore from earlier. Jack was certain he would be soon to follow, but after listening to the wall clock tick for so long, he decided to make himself useful and grab a cup of water for the morning.

Upon returning from the kitchen, he saw the office still dimly lit, Mark’s lamp still turned on. When Jack crept into the room, he saw all the papers scattered haphazardly across the desk. As he was cleaning and putting the pages in order, he couldn't help but smile at his name written within these beautifully picked sentences.

“Oh, Mark,” Jack muttered aloud, a smirk on his face. “You could've at least changed my name.”

But Jack put down the neatly stacked papers, and found himself still grinning as he switched off the light, the office falling into complete darkness.


End file.
